Method of storing data in polymer

A method of synthesizing a polymer, the method comprising:

• providing a microfluidic chip comprising a polymer synthesis chamber fluidically connected to a plurality of compartments,
• providing a group of different homo-bifunctional monomers,
• wherein each of the different homo-bifunctional monomers comprises a core structure having identical functional groups attached at two different positions of the core structure, different ones of the homo-bifunctional monomers provided in different ones of the compartments, and
• wherein the group of different homo-bifunctional monomers comprises homo-bifunctional monomers having at least two different core structures;
• receiving, by a processor, a sequence of bits for data storage;
• processing, by the processor, the sequence of bits for data storage to generate a first control signal for a first digit or sub-sequence of digits in the sequence of bits for data storage, and generate a second control signal for a different digit or sub-sequence of digits in the sequence of bits for data storage;
• initiating, via the first control signal, a flow of microfluids containing at least one core structure of the homo-bifunctional monomers into the polymer synthesis chamber;
• and
• initiating, via the second control signal, a flow of microfluids containing at least one different core structure of the different homo-bifunctional monomers;
• linking the different homo-bifunctional monomers together, in the polymer synthesis chamber, to synthesize the polymer having a predetermined sequence of monomer core structures corresponding to the sequence of bits for data storage,
• wherein the different homo-bifunctional monomers are linked together using a click chemistry reaction between the functional groups of the different homo-bifunctional monomers, and
• wherein the click chemistry reaction comprises at least one of a thiol-ene reaction, a Diels-Alder reaction, an imine condensation, a hydrazone condensation, an oxime carbonyl condensation and a copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition,
• further comprising detecting an electrical output from a monomer core structure in the synthesized polymer, the electrical output generated by different core structures in a nanopore, the electrical output relating back to the type of monomer to differentiate between different monomers, wherein the sequence of bits for data storage are determined from the electrical output.

A synthesis system comprising:

• a microfluidic chip comprising:
• a polymer synthesis chamber configured to contain a polymer in a liquid or a polymer attached to an inner surface of the chamber,
• microfluidic channels fluidically connected to the polymer synthesis chamber and configured to forward liquids to the polymer synthesis chamber to perform a click chemistry reaction, and
• at least four different compartments, each fluidically connected to the polymer synthesis chamber via one of the microfluidic channels, and each configured to comprise a solution of different homo-bifunctional monomers,
• wherein each of the different homo-bifunctional monomers comprises a core structure having identical functional groups attached at two different positions of the core structure, different ones of the homo-bifunctional monomers provided in different ones of the compartments, and
• wherein the group of different homo-bifunctional monomers comprises homo-bifunctional monomers having at least two different core structures;
• a control unit comprising a processor configured to:
• receive, by the processor, a sequence of bits for data storage;
• receive, by the processor, information on the type of homo-bifunctional monomers in each compartment, and
• forward solutions from the at least four different compartments in a sequence corresponding to a predetermined sequence of homo-bifunctional monomers to the polymer synthesis chamber, thereby initiating synthesis of a polymer in the polymer synthesis chamber having the predetermined sequence corresponding to the sequence of bits for data storage,
• wherein the click chemistry reaction comprises at least one of a thiol-ene reaction, a Diels-Alder reaction, an imine condensation, a hydrazone condensation, an oxime carbonyl condensation and a copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition.

A method of synthesizing a polymer, the method comprising:

• providing a base polymer;
• providing a group of different homo-bifunctional monomers;
• providing a sequence of bits for data storage;
• reacting a first homo-bifunctional monomer to extend the base polymer by one monomer at one or more distal ends of the base polymer to synthesize an extended polymer;
• and
• reacting a second homo-bifunctional monomer to extend the extended polymer by one monomer at one or more distal ends of the extended polymer,
• wherein the first homo-bifunctional monomer comprises a first core structure having a first functional group attached at two different positions of the first core structure;
• wherein the second homo-bifunctional monomer comprises a second core structure different than the first core structure, the second core structure having a second functional group attached at two different positions of the second core structure;
• wherein the first and second homo-bifunctional monomers are linked according to a predetermined sequence of monomer core structures,
• wherein the predetermined sequence of monomer core structures corresponds to the sequence of bits for data storage,
• wherein the first and second homo-bifunctional monomers are linked together using a click chemistry reaction between the second functional group and a functional group on one or more distal ends of the extended polymer;
• and
• wherein the functional group on the one of the distal end of the extended polymer is different from the second functional group;
• wherein the click chemistry reaction comprises at least one of a thiol-ene reaction, a Diels-Alder reaction, an imine condensation, a hydrazone condensation, an oxime carbonyl condensation and a copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition.